Preppers to host preparedness expo in town

Members of the Kansas City area Preppers practice survival skills during a recent campout. The group is hosting an expo at the Johnson County Fairgrounds next week. Submitted photo

Danedri Thompsondthompson@gardnernews.com
Mark Rinke isn’t planning for the end of the world, but if it happens, he’s ready.
As a prepper, the Olathe man says everyone has their own idea of The End of The World as We Know It, or TEOTWAKI.
“The phrase is used for several things,” Rinke said. “…It could be the end of your world as you know it. That could mean getting laid off. We’ve had a couple of people get laid off and they used their food storage supplies so they didn’t have to buy groceries while they looked for work.”
Rinke is a member of the Kansas City Area Preppers. The group meets once a month to share ideas on how to cope in the event of an emergency.
Rinke joined the group about a year ago.
“We went from 35 members to about 340 core members,” Rinke said.
The monthly meeting includes guest speakers and training in how to survive the unthinkable. For example, members have learned about dehydrating food and personal defense at previous meetings.
Twice a year, members of the group host bug-out campouts. During the camping trips, campers are only allowed to bring their “bug out” bags, or survivalist bags they can carry on their backs to survive for 72 hours. They host the camps during the coldest part of winter and the hottest part of summer.
“It’s not exactly pleasant,” Rinke said. “It’s kind of a test your gear in the worst circumstances possible kind of thing.”
And now, they’re bringing their knowledge and experience to Gardner for a one-day event at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. The Kansas City Area Prepardness Expo will be run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fairgrounds on July 20.
Although Rinke has only belonged to the group for a little over a year, he said he and his family have always been more prepared than others around them. He recalls the ice storm in Kansas City in 2002. In the storm’s aftermath, thousands of people were without power, some for up to a month.
“(My family) were the only ones who had a way to keep warm and had food on hand,” Rinke said. “We were the only ones in our neighborhood who had a way to heat our house and had supplies… The ability to take warm showers was a plus.”
With the emergence of shows like National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers,” experts estimate there may be as many as 3 million Americans making detailed plans for the end of the world as we know it.
On each episode of the show, producers document preppers as they prepare for a specific world-ending event. For example, one family may be prepping for a super volcano or an electro-magnetic pulse that shuts down earth’s power grids.
Rinke said most preppers aren’t making plans for anything that specific.
“Most people are worried about what happens when a tornado comes, or what happens when an ice storm comes,” he explained. “Obviously what most people in the group are looking for is preparedness or homesteading.”
The things preppers are learning weren’t considered crazy a generation ago, he explained.
“A hundred years ago, everyone canned their own food and grew their own food,” Rinke said. “It wasn’t until we started getting this grocery-store-kind-of-mentality that people who started doing this kind of thing were considered crazy.”
But, there’s an added bonus to being prepared for a tornado or natural disaster. Preparing for that kind of an event also prepares people for a mass TEOTWAWKI event.
For Rinke, the most likely cause of societal breakdown is the collapse of the U.S. dollar. Quantative easing, or pouring newly-minted currency into the U.S. financial system, is devaluing the dollar, he explained. And other countries, like China and India are now reluctant to trade in U.S. currency.
“When no one will take it, (the dollar) will collapse. Can we do things to reverse that? Maybe. But if it collapses tomorrow, I’m ready,” he said. “I’m just being a good Boy Scout by being prepared.”
There is no cost to attend the expo on July 20.
“We’re not trying to make money on it,” Rinke said. “We’re just trying to share information.”
The event will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 20. There will be a number of lectures and classes on things like water purification, gold and silver and self defense as well as a variety of vendors providing information for things like long-term food storage and survival.
For more information about the event including a schedule, visit the expo’s Facebook page. Search for “Kansas City area Preparedness Expo.”

Comments

In my opinion Mr. Rinke is one of those gun NRA nutjobs who Sutton and Boillot and others all hang out together as cult followers. Be sure to look at his Facebook page and see what your comfort level is. Just great having Mr. Rinke as a conceal carry permit holder…………..myself I am not liking it but, of course, I don’t like what Rep. Sutton and his right wing nutjobs stand strong for in most ways…..these kind of jaybirds are a big headache to law enforcement and peace loving citizens in my opinion…………extremists are not my cup of tea and there are plenty of them in the Republican Tea Party……..

Here are what some of your locals are saying about the NRA nutjobs here in this area and just think we now have over 63,000 people in Kansas with conceal carry permits. This is what Rep. Sutton and other extremists have brought to your community and state. I can only hope that decent citizens will not be going along with all of this BS and to me it has absolutely nothing to do with your 2nd Amendment or constitutional rights nor are they going to be protecting me – they are going to be causing big time problems. This situation is getting totally out of hand and I don’t believe decent, reasonable citizens are going to like the adverse affects of all of this extremist activity and it is even worse when your legislators and Governor are bringing about this type of environment – these are my opinions.

Amanda Spencer
What is the cities policy on carrying guns in public? I was in Price Chopper today with my children and there was a gentleman walking around completely packing. By packing I mean two pistols in a shoulder strap, two on the hip and I can’t be positive but he could have one in an ankle holster concealed. I’m all for the 2nd Amendment but that made me a little nervous. I don’t see a need to carry 4 weapons into a grocery store.
Share · 33 minutes ago via mobile

5 people like this.
Tara N Forrester Zombie fighter?
31 minutes ago via mobile · 2
Marah ‘Buchholz’ Smith Undercover? It’d make me uneasy as well BUT that very guy could save people. and I don’t think it’s per the city but I think it’s the stores policy.
27 minutes ago via mobile
Robby D Durham was he a thin dude about 5’8″?
22 minutes ago via mobile · Edited
Sarah McGuire I bet Tara N Forrester is right. Zombie fighter…
23 minutes ago · 1
Amanda Spencer He didn’t appear to be undercover. I tried not to be judgemental and said good afternoon to him and he just scowled and walked away.
23 minutes ago via mobile
Kevin Stueve Open carry is allowed in the city as long as your gun is holstered and on safe. Or regardless if you are a hunter. so if his gun was out of the holster I would assume properly licensed zombie hunter. On the other hand if it was holstered, then I would assume normal citizen and no threat to anyone.
21 minutes ago · 4
Kevin Stueve and of course conceal carry requires a permit. regardless of whether or not you are a properly licensed zombie hunter.
19 minutes ago · 2
Katie ‘Abbey’ Weller I’ve seen possibly the same gentleman riding his bike in the mornings carrying. Same as you described- shoulder strap and hip.
17 minutes ago
Sarah McGuire Hey, atleast he’s not the guy that comes into my Aldi wearing a mask!!
16 minutes ago · 1
Walter Hermreck Kansas is an “open carry” state. To answer your question about Gardner’s policy here is the city code:

10.3.2 UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.

(a) Carrying on one’s person any unconcealed, loaded firearm, while on property open to the public, except when on one’s land or in one’s abode or fixed place of business within the city limits of Gardner, Kansas, unless the firearm is carried in a holster with its safety in place and such weapon remains within the immediate control of the person at all times.

(b) This section shall not apply to those persons exempted by Section 1 of Article 10 of the Uniform Public Offense Code incorporated by GMC 9.05.010.

(c) It shall be a defense that the person is a bona fide hunter and the firearm is not loaded.

Violation of this section is an unclassified misdemeanor.
16 minutes ago
Larry L Smith really zombie hunter lol to much walking dead
12 minutes ago via mobile
Rochelle Jones LOL Sarah McGuire we have a few of those too…
12 minutes ago
Sarah McGuire PM me Rochelle! !
11 minutes ago via mobile
Jim Klint My guess is he’s just raising local awareness. Good for him.
10 minutes ago via mobile · 2
Jason Kilgore Great for him ….. cause surely if something happened inside that store youd be callin him a hero ….. ffs get a life
8 minutes ago via mobile
Kevin Stueve Larry L Smith too much walking dead? is that even possible?
6 minutes ago · 2
Kristen Valentine Schultz I’m sorry. But I’m trying so hard to accept and advocate everyone’s 2nd Amendment rights…even when I don’t necessarily agree. But what logical reason could a person have to carry that many weapons on his person while picking up a gallon of milk? For those of us, like me, who struggle to understand and come to terms with CC in public places, people like this do absolutely zero to propel my understanding or eradicate my fear. And if the City doesn’t have a problem with it, Price Chopper should.
a few seconds ago

Shocking that Judith Rogers would be against something! (Thick sarcasm) Don’t let old Judith scare you off. She has never attended any meetings or an expo that I am aware of, and has no idea what is going on at either. Or I might add any where else, sorry I could not resist.

If a problem arises and you want to be part of the solution not the problem, you will learn valuable information at this event. The best part about it is it is FREE! How many other places can you learn how to protect your family for free?

Yeah, Rich, I know where you stand on the gun issue…………I keep tabs on you and other gun extremists and I certainly don’t like what I am seeing happening here in the Gardner area nor at the State House in Topeka. I have already checked Rinke’s Facebook page again and he is glowing about his front page Gardner News media attention – just like Sutton and his cult followers.

I am sure you will be attending and/or setting up the next gun show in Gardner Fairgrounds where NO BACKGROUND CHECKS are required to buy any gun – just have to bring that green paper with you and it will get any nutjob any gun they want. Not to my liking.

I guess my main question to Judith would be why would you even bring guns into this conversation? Guns and the NRA were not mentioned in the article or stated as being associated with the event that is being planned. You complain about the mind set of gun owners, and yet it is you that brought this conversation into that topic, and from your own posts you seem to be the one stocking these law biding individuals (and yes they are law biding individuals no matter if you agree with the law or not) because that is the only conclusion that can be reached as to how you know their stance on any issue political or personal.

Being prepared is part of life, especially for some individuals depending on up bringing or even religious beliefs and yet you immediately jump to the conclusion and try and paint everyone with these ideas as nutjobs. So should we say pot calling the kettle black .. or is it just misery loves company.

Judith you also need to know what you are taking about before you open your mouth or put your thoughts into typed word. Any gun dealer who has an FFL license is required to preform the required Federal paperwork and check on all gun sales no matter if they are done within their brick and mortar store front or at a gun show. Now an individual U.S. citizen can sale a gun to another U.S. citizen without such paperwork/check; however this can be done at a gun show, in their private home, or even on the sidewalk in front of your house if they so choose.

Judith: I just don’t understand the name calling and hate. Look at your history – our Grandparents were always prepared. They stocked food and water, tended gardens and animals. They were never referred to as crazy; instead, they were revered as being prepared for whatever came their way. The Kansas City Preparedness Expo is exactly what the name implies – an expo to teach and stress being prepared. Why did you bring guns and the NRA into your tirade? The expo article never mentioned firearms, never mentioned the IRA, never mentioned an Amendment. Just maybe you should educate yourself on topics before you begin criticizing.

Oh Judith, your leftist incompetence is truly showing right now. You would be the one to bring up firearms and the ability to carry them in an article that has many other motives than just self-defense against eminent physical harm. The story discusses a seminar that covers a multitude of ways to be prepared for any number of situations, just like our ancestors were. There is a reason that KS has issued the most concealed and carry permits in state history over the past year…we as citizens are seeing a world that is becoming an increasingly more dangerous place to be, and out of love for our lives, and the lives of our family and friends, we take measures to protect ourselves. Its not like everyone is going and waving their guns out in the open if they have a permit. It is a means of defense that is a last case resort. Instead of bashing the GOP and Gun Rights advocates, stick to comments that pertain directly to the article.

Yes, I do try very hard to keep up with what is going on in my community – call it stalking or whatever.

I have visited Rinke’s Facebook page on more than one occasion in the past month or so and I do not like what I see – just like I don’t like what Rep. Sutton is bringing about in this area with respect to guns and all of their propaganda, rhetoric and what they are supporting and enabling.

I note Sutton will be “addressing” this group on July 20 ……….I am sure he may be wearing his Boy Scout uniform with a gun strapped to his leg and leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance while he is whipping up the extremists……..I saw him doing the same on the Capitol steps this past winter. The cult followers love the drama, however, to me it is a true display of ignorance, fear and regression and I consider myself to be as patriotic as anyone but I can’t take the extremist actions of the crazies – will do our country no good whatsoever in my opinion and I WILL speak out about it.

This whole mess and what is going on this area is about far more than preparedness……………

Judith thanks for showing everyone your true colors. I have to admit you make it fun! Just for your information I will not be at the event. I have to work at a gun show in Wichita. Sorry to disappoint, but I recommend you attend. So the next time you have a conspiracy theory about what is happening it could be based on facts.

And yes Bill Sutton will be will be speaking, although I am not sure what he will be wearing, how you know is beyond me. I doubt he will be OCing (Open Carrying), Bill is not that kind of guy. In fact I would venture to say you wont see a gun at the show. But since you will not likely be in attendance you wont know that either.

Oh, I will know what is going on at their gala since the crazies will be talking about it loud and clear and will probably have the media there to take pictures, videos, etc. – Sutton never, never, ever misses a photo op just like all worthless politicians since he thrives on the spotlight and he will take a vote from the dumbest and the most fearful any day of the week………….I know one thing for sure ole Sutton will be talking about the 2nd Amendment and whipping up the ignorant cult followers. Nothing good comes out of the actions of the extremists – I have lived long enough to know that.

Judith,
I am over in Taiwan right now. You know the place where the TYPHOON is about to hit. I learned to stock up on water and food at events just like this one. I have applied what I learned and I feel safer for it.

So here is my suggestion. Maybe you have a gun control issue, I understand, many people have differing views on this topic. Here is my question for you. Taiwan is otherwise known as the Republic of China. Gun control laws here I’m pretty sure would be to your liking. Right leaning folks are rare here. Right “extremist wackos” are unheard of! So why am I surrounded by preppers?

If you just want too show your political stance, didn’t Rich say their was a gun show you could go picket? Probably more people are pro second amendment their right? No need to hijack this article. Even if you have personal issue with the planners, they are not marching here, they are trying to educate people with the same biology as you or I to be safer.

You could benefit from some form of prepping. You live in an area that tornado, floods, and ice storms are common. Having some water, food, flashlights, a weather radio, first aid skills, etc. could benefit even you. knowing and learning skills from other preppers in your area could be helpful right? Some folks have even thought past FEMA’s two week recommendations. No need to compromise your political views. Safety is important to everyone. I know the people of Taiwan think so!

I remember planting garden and canning food. I remember when Kerosene was used for just about everything, including wounds. I don’t think prepping is crazy, I think it’s smart. As to guns, we’ve always had them in this country. I don’t understand all the hoopla over it now. Just shut up and get a gun, why all the talk? I was taught to handle a gun when I was 8 or 9, scared the devil out of me, shooting at a target set up in the chicken yard and the chickens squawking and flying about, but it was a good lesson to learn. The only part annoys me is these people seem to act like “prepping” is something they just discovered and now it’s on TV. Turn off the TV and internet, go outside and live your life, quit watching life go by. Time is shorter than you think.You spend all this time arguing when you should be living.

Oh Judith…if you were to ever be in a store that was getting robbed by a person threatening to shoot people; and a random stranger, legally carrying a weapon, risked their life to subdue the robber with their gun to save you and the other people in the store….i doubt you would be so quick to judge those of us who legally open-carry or conceal-carry our weapons. You may have already been saved my an open-carry holder without even knowing it. If a person planning on robbing a store walks in a sees a pistol on the hip of one or more people…do you think he’s still going to rob that place? Or do you think he might change his mind after seeing that there are customers who are willing to defend?

Judith, you seem to be very closed-minded and judgmental, and you are pretty silly-looking standing on that soap box of yours. I think its time you get off it and start looking at ways to change yourself, instead of judging other people to make yourself feel better.

And just think about criminals (people actively planning on using their guns to threaten or shoot people) …those people are NOT going to spend their time and money on taking an all day class, and spending about $200 to get a concealed-carry permit. The law abiding citizens do it that so they have a way to protect themselves, their family, or total strangers in the event they are ever put in danger from those criminals.

Well, Jennyspags, you are so ready to say I am closed minded, judgmental and silly-looking and yet you are such a COWARD that you won’t even take ownership of your comments.

Many of the conceal carry idiots are just as big of cowards as you are and they get their permits to kill since they are cult followers and it makes them look like saviors/heroes which the NRA propaganda paints, when in reality most of them are just wanting to look big in their little boy and girl mindsets.

Gardner and Edgerton citizens, including their Representative and his appendage, Boillot, now have their gun culture communities and in my opinion, nothing good will come from it. More guns on the street will create more problems – problems that could bring heartache to you and your loved ones and to one or more other families.

Stick around and see what your gun culture communities do for you in the long run. I just know it is not to my liking and in the meantime I will be shopping outside of Gardner as much as I possibly can and not voting for any person running for elected office who enables and supports this gun culture – I will NOT support a gun culture community.

I continue to believe this gun issue and those who support it to be examples of ignorance, fear and regression. A complete different opinion than yours, Jennyspags but one that I am entitled to.

I will also state that I believe a person should receive EXTENSIVE psychiatric testing before being handed a permit to kill and those people should be law enforcement officers. When I watch and hear Rep. Sutton on the Capitol steps talking about H.B. 2199 it makes me sick to my stomach to know that I have this type of a representative along with many more in the state of Kansas. They want to answer no one or any entity other than their sick selves. Kansas is truly sick in my opinion and the people have brought this about and living in a gun culture state will not be beneficial in my opinion and it concerns me even more when these radicals think they have to answer to NO ONE.

Earlier I was commenting on how sick Kansas is. Here is an article that tells you why – the Republicans such as Koch are killing the average citizens. He and Brownback and Sen. Roberts and many other Republicans yak about subsidies and entitlements, health care, etc., etc. – well, to me there is no bigger subsidy program than the farm subsidy program that costs billions of dollars for taxpayers along with the fraudulent “farm” appraisals that one thieving investor, developer, builder, bank, savings & loan assn., etc. apply for and get on a silver platter here in Kansas taking millions and millions of dollars from our taxing entities and honest taxpayers who would never think of being involved in fraud. I would like to see these Republican jaybirds live on minimum wage with no health care insurance and think they were well off.

Yes I know and I have met several of the folks who have commented on this post and who are planning to attend or are in some way involved with preparedness expo. Having said that let me offer the following to you with respect to preparedness and self defense:

Preparedness:

I serve with and as a member of reserve and auxiliary forces of this GREAT nation. Namely the US Air Force. More specifically the units I am attached with work closely with FEMA. I can tell you from experience that on average the BEST case response time of federal EMS ( Emergency Management Services ) is somewhere between 12 to 24 hours. That is assuming we get permission, funding and approval from a bureaucracy of related agencies. So do you have ENOUGH supplies on hand to last that long?

SELF DEFENSE:

Local and federal law enforcement per a supreme court decision have NO DUTY TO PROTECT. If you do not believe me do a google search on “no duty to protect” and the supreme court decision Warren v. District of Columbia. Even IF law enforcement CHOOSES to decide to assist you in your moment of despair can you afford the average metropolitan response time of 9 to 14 minutes? In a smaller community such as Gardner cut it in half and you have 4.5 to 7 minutes? Can you really hold your own against those who would do EVIL against you and yours for that period of time.

There is an old adage that says an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,

I have heard all of your propaganda time and time again from the NRA radicals and extremists. I trust my law enforcement agencies to protect me as best they can and which they have always done. I do not believe in ignorance, fear and regression. Mr. Zimmerman is a perfect example of a person who I do not believe should have had a conceal carry permit, especially since he had been charged with domestic abuse and assaulting a police officer in the past but that murderer gets his gun back. I do not need a bunch of vigilantes walking around my community with guns who have not been properly trained nor have they had the extensive psychiatric testing needed to be given a permit to kill. I want extensive background checks done on every person who purchases a gun from the day it is manufactured – I don’t need more guns on the streets – I need less guns on the streets. I do NOT WANT GUN CULTURE COMMUNITIES ACROSS KANSAS NOR AMERICA.

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